Speculation was rife Tuesday that Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss would step down as his PMK party had decided to align with the AIADMK, but it was laid to rest with Ramadoss saying the party would decide on Thursday about its poll alliance and dismissed talk of his stepping down as “rumours”.
Earlier, a PMK source said in Chennai that party founder S. Ramadoss had decided to align with the AIADMK, led by former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha, and that the union health minister would be stepping down soon.
However, Anbumani Ramadoss said his party would decide on its poll alliance after the PMK central committee meeting in Chennai on March 26.
“We discussed about the alliance, but nothing has been finalised. My party central body meeting is on Thursday. We’ll decide about the alliance then,” Ramadoss told reporters after a 45-minute meeting with Patel.
Asked whether he would resign, he said: “It is all rumours.”
Earlier in the day, a senior aide of the PMK founder said Anbumani would quit shortly.
“While the timing of the resignation is being worked out, the decision to align with the AIADMK has been finalised,” the aide said in Chennai.
“The AIADMK offer of seven Lok Sabha constituencies and a Rajya Sabha seat in the future has been accepted by our party’s founder. This naturally means we are quitting the UPA coalition,” he had added.